


Dog Days

by Lucespes



Category: IDOLiSH7 (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Shapeshifters, Gaku is a cat shifter, M/M, explicit/mature in later chapters, platonic ryuuki
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-06
Updated: 2020-08-12
Packaged: 2021-03-01 23:33:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,762
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23505418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lucespes/pseuds/Lucespes
Summary: On the run from a government who wants to capture him for testing, Gaku Yaotome, a cat shifter, finds solace in a small town. Ryuu, a man used to his boring life, suddenly has his daily routine turned on its head when he comes home from work to find a cat on the edge of death on his couch. Together, they're thrown into a life-or-death situation that requires them to put aside their differences and work as a team.
Relationships: Tsunashi Ryuunosuke/Yaotome Gaku
Comments: 20
Kudos: 30





	1. i

_They're going to catch him. They're going to kill him._

_Gaku never asked to be a cat shifter. He never asked to be hated by the government. He never asked to constantly have to be on the run. He never asked for any of it._

_His lithe feline body helps him twist through the forest with more ease than the bumbling government agents that chase after him, but Gaku's been running for hours, and he can feel exhaustion creeping in. The muscles in his legs and paws ache, and he practically gasps for air. His heartbeat thumps in his ears, almost drowning out the distant sound of yelling coming from behind him, but not quite loud enough._

_He's run for so long that he has no idea where he is._

_He was living in the city, his identity a secret. He had known peace for the first time in his 22 years of living. Everything had been as close to idyllic as it had ever been for him._

_And then he'd shifted in front of the wrong person, and suddenly his life had been thrown back into hell._

_The government hunts cat shifters. They take them to a testing facility, and the shifters never come back. From the rumors on the streets, they do experiments on them. Gaku shudders. He'd rather die than be someone's test subject. He's also heard rumors that the government is trying to come up with a "cure", something to turn cat shifters into "normal" humans. He doubts that they'll ever be able to find anything. And until they do, they'll continue kidnapping cat shifters to test their serums and medicines on._

_Gaku knows that being captured means death. And so he keeps running._

_He trips on a rock, which sends him tumbling down to the ground, and then before he can stop, he's rolling down a hill, his small frame smacking into tree trunk after tree trunk. He can hear and feel his body bruising and cracking, and he curls into a ball. Broken bones, he can deal with. A cracked skull, not so much._

_He finally comes to a stop, and he has no time to waste. He starts running again, though his body protests. He's definitely broken a couple of ribs, but his legs are fine, and that's all that really matters. As long as he can still run, he will._

_The forest doesn't seem to have an end to it. He feels like he's been running for days, and as the chilling thought that he's running in circles occurs to him, he shoves it back down and forces himself not to think. Anxiety will only slow him down. Doubt will only get him caught._

_When he first notices that the trees are starting to thin out, his eyes widen in terror. The forest had been providing him with cover. If he's out in the open, they'll catch him. He doesn't slow down, though, and he finally comes to the edge of the forest._

_When he spots a house with its lights off, he knows what he has to do. He forces himself to run even faster, knowing that every second that he's out of the cover of the trees is dangerous. His silver eyes widen when he sees a dog door installed in the back door of the house, and he decides he'd rather face a pack of dogs than the bloodlust of the humans behind him. He pounces through the door, bracing himself to be met with a guard dog of some sort._

_When he's met with an empty, silent house, he stops short._

_The house is tidy, and as Gaku hesitantly pads through the rooms, he can smell a lingering canine scent, but there's no dog to be found. He wonders if the dog and the owner of the house are out on a walk, in which case, he hopes he can leave by then. For now, though, he hops up onto the brown couch and curls up. His torso aches from hitting all of the trees he did, so he closes his eyes._

_A nap won't hurt him._

-

"Yuki, I know you don't like mornings, but it's five in the afternoon. Shouldn't you be less tired by now?"

Ryuu stands with a stack of books in his hands, resting his chin on the top book. He shoots Yuki an unimpressed look, and he's met with a lazy grin.

"Ryuu-kun, you'll get wrinkles from all the worrying you do. Just relax," he tells him, and Ryuu huffs. He turns to go and shelve the books he has, but thankfully Yuki's bookstore is small enough that he can still carry a conversation as he works. 

He reaches up to the top shelf effortlessly. "You're the first face our customers see when they walk in the door. You can't be half asleep," he chides, and he hears Yuki laugh. It's gentle and soft.

"Alright, alright. Whatever it takes to get you to relax," Yuki drawls. 

Ryuu finishes sliding the last book into place, and he makes his way back over to his friend, who has gone from laying his head on the counter where the register is to reading a poetry book. It's not much of an improvement considering he's technically on the clock, but since it's Yuki's shop, Ryuu doesn't feel like he has much room to police him. If Yuki wants to read at work, who is Ryuu to stop him? After all, in a town as small as theirs, it's not exactly like they're booming with business anyway.

"What are you doing after work tonight?" Yuki asks, and Ryuu blinks at him. He grabs some more books and returns to shelving. "Please don't tell me you're just going home and spending the night in."

Ryuu shoots him a sheepish grin, and Yuki groans. "There's nothing wrong with spending time alone, Yuki. We can't all live as exciting of lives as you do."

Yuki snorts. "My life? Exciting?" he asks. "My life is only as exciting as Momo makes it."

"Momo is an exciting person," Ryuu counters, and Yuki grins. "And your life is much more exciting compared to mine."

"I don't know about that," he hums, and Ryuu shakes his head, not gracing him with an answer. "So you're just going home tonight? Not going out to dinner with a friend or inviting anyone over for a movie or anything?"

Ryuu sighs, grabbing another handful of books. He silently thinks about how much faster he could get through his workload if Yuki were to help him, but he doesn't speak. He doesn't mind doing more work, truthfully. It's like Yuki says: Ryuu lives a boring life. Work is really the only thing that fills his schedule, so he doesn't mind having to work a little extra.

"You know that you're my only friend," he says patiently. "I mean, I'm close to Momo but I only ever spend time with him when you're around, so it would be kind of awkward to just hang out with the two of us. And I guess I'm close with Tenn, but he's always busy. But, really. I don't mind spending time at home alone. It's nice."

Yuki hums thoughtfully. "Have you ever considered getting a pet?"

Ryuu turns and gives him a tired look. Yuki just grins back at him. "You know I can't have pets," he says, and he turns back to his work, deciding he's finished with this line of conversation. He doesn't feel like rehashing an old argument. 

"Ryuu-kun, why don't you head home early?"

Ryuu frowns, and he looks at Yuki. To his surprise, Yuki stands up and makes his way over to him. He takes the books from Ryuu's hands and smiles up at him. 

"You've been working longer than I have today. I can handle the last hour alone," Yuki tells him, and when he opens his mouth to protest, Yuki puts a hand up to stop him. "Really. Head home for tonight. It's dead anyways."

He sighs through his nose and nods, stepping back and moving to the counter. He reaches down and grabs his water bottle and his coat, and he looks back to Yuki. "You're sure? I really don't mind staying..."

Yuki waves him off, and Ryuu watches him stand on the tips of his toes to slide a book onto the top shelf. "I'm fine, Ryuu-kun. I ran this bookstore for years by myself before you moved to town. An hour alone won't kill me."

Ryuu isn't quite sure why Yuki is so determined to send him home - after all, they'd just talked about how boring Ryuu's life is outside of work - but he doesn't see the point in arguing. He slides his coat on and bids Yuki goodbye before stepping outside into the chill autumn air. 

Ever since he moved from the coastal town where he grew up with his father and brothers to the small town he was in now, he had been captivated with every little thing he experienced. From the way that the streets aren't ever crowded to the way that nature is still very present, Ryuu loves small town life. He doesn't think he could ever survive in a big city.

He stuffs his hands into his pockets as he walks, the crisp breeze nipping at his exposed face. Winter looms closer, and the leaves on the trees are turning. Their brilliant colors captivate Ryuu, and he looks up as he walks. The sky is starting to turn into an array of different hues as the sun begins to set, and it makes the scenery around him look like it's right out of a painting. 

Ryuu loves autumn. 

He walks along, not passing anyone on his way home, but seeing as his house is on the very outskirts of the town, it doesn't surprise him much. He sees more people on his way to work in the morning or at the farmer's market that takes place every Saturday in the middle of the town. 

As he nears his house, Ryuu begins to get the feeling that something's wrong. Usually, there's never anyone out by his house. And yet, he can hear distant yelling. He frowns, his golden eyes full of concern. The yelling sounds as though it's coming from the woods behind his house. He grits his teeth. He'll go and investigate if they linger.

He unlocks his front door, his keys jingling as he turns the doorknob and walks inside. 

He freezes in the doorway, his eyes widening in shock. On his couch, a grey cat is curled up asleep. It has multiple scars littering its flank, and Ryuu can tell its breathing is labored. He slowly closes the door behind him, and he places his keys on the table by the door as quietly as he can. He steps toward the cat, barely making any noise. As he gets closer, he can hear its ragged breathing, and he swallows thickly. It doesn't take a genius to realize that the cat is close to death. Ryuu knows he needs to act, and he needs to act fast. 

He doesn't want to wake the cat quite yet, so he tiptoes around the couch into the dining room where the door with the dog door is. It's undoubtedly how the cat got in. He slowly latches it and places a chair in front of it. He doesn't want the cat running off when it wakes up. It'll die if it tries to leave. 

When he turns back around, Ryuu's met with the cat wide awake standing on the back of the couch. Its entire body is tense as it prepares to pounce, and Ryuu's eyes widen. 

"Wait!" he cries, but it's too late. The cat jumps and yowls, and it speeds in between Ryuu's legs in an attempt to make a break for the dog door. 

When it realizes that its way out is barred, it slides around and looks for the next best escape route, its eyes wide with sheer panic. Ryuu has no intention of letting it harm itself, though, and before it can run much farther, he leans down and scoops the cat into his arms, picking it up off the ground. Immediately it begins to bite and scratch at him, but Ryuu can tell that its energy is spent, so he simply lets it exhaust itself.

When the cat finally stops struggling, he smiles down at it. "You're safe, little guy. It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you," he says, and he gently sets the cat on the counter in his kitchen. 

He turns and fishes through his pantry for a moment before finding the tuna can he's looking for. He turns back to see the cat watching him warily, and he chuckles a little. If the cat is so distrustful, why did it come into his house in the first place? He moves and opens the can of tuna, watching as the cat's pupils dilate. He can see the hesitation in the cat's movements as it slowly inches closer to him, and so he puts the can on the counter and steps back. The cat watches him for a moment before hunger finally wins it over, and it begins to eat. 

Ryuu watches it, swallowing thickly. He doesn't want pets. He can't have pets. But he can't let this cat die. The cat continues to scarf down the tuna, and Ryuu takes a deep breath. He'll talk to Yuki about it tomorrow. He'll ask around to see if anyone's cat is missing. After all, the cat doesn't seem quite feral enough to be wild. He's sure it's just someone's pet that ran away.

He can take care of a cat long enough to nurse it back to health and then return it home, he decides with a nod to himself. 

"You're safe, little fella," he tells the cat, who ignores him. He laughs a little. It seems his home life won't be so boring after all. 


	2. ii

After a night of tossing and turning and getting woken up multiple times an hour by thumping sounds caused by the cat, Ryuu feels like death. When his alarm pierces through his silent bedroom telling him to get up for work, he almost feels like crying. His eyes are heavy as he slowly saunters into the bathroom, and while he showers, he wonders why the cat has such a personal vendetta against his sleep schedule. 

He had completely left the cat alone after he had given it the can of tuna, but he has to admit that he did keep the dog door closed. In a way, he is kind of keeping the cat hostage. 

He gets out of the shower and pulls on his boxers and jeans, and he does his hair lazily. He sighs, walking out to his living room. He needs to make sure that the cat is taken care of while he goes to work. He hates the thought of leaving the cat alone in a scary new environment, but there's not much he can do.

The cat is sitting on his reclining chair, and it watches him carefully as he walks into the room. He smiles softly, his annoyance at his loss of sleep gone. The cat seems to be better rested than when he saw it yesterday, which eases his anxiety a little. 

"C'mere," he calls, and he heads into the kitchen. He doesn't really have any cat food. He has tuna, but he isn't quite sure how to make it so that the cat doesn't eat everything he leaves out in the first five minutes of Ryuu being gone. The cat pads up behind him, and it sits at his feet and meows loudly. The sound startles Ryuu a little, and he looks down curiously. 

"Is tuna okay? You seemed to like it yesterday..." he says, trailing off. He isn't sure why he's trying to have a conversation with the cat. Still, he feels awkward doing everything silently. "I'll leave you out a can of tuna, and I'll put out a water dish for you. I work until three today, so I'll be home in time to feed you dinner, okay?"

The cat simply meows in response, and it hops up onto his counter. He sighs and grabs a can of tuna. He opens it and places it on the counter. 

"Now, this is all I'm leaving you for food, so try to pace yourself," he chides, and he grabs a bowl and fills it with water. The cat immediately moves over and sniffs at it, even while it's still in his hand. Ryuu laughs a little before placing it down next to the tuna can. "Here you go."

It drinks immediately, and Ryuu feels a little guilty for not giving it water the night before. He heads off to his room to grab a shirt, looking at his phone. He has about half an hour before his shift starts, so he grabs his wallet from his bedside table and stuffs it in his back pocket before pulling on a t-shirt and a flannel.

When he walks back out, the cat is still drinking, so he walks over and takes it from it, chuckling at the cat's small yowl of protest. "Shhh," he chides, and he grabs a bigger bowl and fills it up. "Here. This will last you longer."

He places the bowl back down. "Okay, I have to leave now. Please don't ruin anything while I'm gone..." he mumbles. "I don't have a big enough salary to constantly be replacing things..."

The cat meows once and goes back to drinking, so Ryuu takes that as an agreement of sorts, and he nods, satisfied. He heads out and locks the door behind him, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. He needs to talk to Yuki and get advice on what to do. He doesn't want to keep someone's lost pet hostage, but it seems as though the cat isn't very good at taking care of itself, so he doesn't want to let it roam free just to get killed. 

As he rummages through his pockets to text Yuki to make sure he's awake, he comes to a stop. His phone isn't in his pockets. He frowns and sighs. He must have set it on the counter when he was changing the cat's water and forgot to pick it back up. He turns around and heads back for his house, groaning. Now he's definitely going to be late, and if Yuki isn't awake, he will be too.

It's a pretty morning, at least, Ryuu thinks to himself. Much better to forget something at home today than a day where there's a thunderstorm. He walks along, humming a song. He wonders if the cat will be surprised to see him back so soon.

He unlocks his door and walks in, and when his eyes move to the kitchen, he freezes in place.

There's a man rummaging through his fridge. A man in nothing but boxers. 

The man stares at him with wide silver eyes, and Ryuu stares back. The two of them are frozen in place. Ryuu wonders if he can reach the phone before the man runs. He needs to call the police. He's caught a burglar in the act. The act of... stealing his food?

He watches the man carefully. In a town as small as the one Ryuu lives in, he knows everyone. He's never seen this man before. And what's worse: he specifically locked all the doors and blocked the dog door, so he has absolutely no idea how the man in front of him actually got into his house. There's no sign of forced entry, which makes the situation all the stranger.

The man stays frozen, his eyes never leaving Ryuu. It's odd that he doesn't even seem to be looking for escape routes considering he's just been caught red-handed. Ryuu continues to stare back, his frown only deepening when the fact that the man is in only boxers really sinks in. Why is he practically naked? 

His eyes widen. Are those... his boxers?

The realization stuns him because it means two things: the man went into his bedroom naked, and he stole a pair of his boxers. Ryuu doesn't understand why he didn't just steal a whole outfit. 

He blinks slowly when he realizes something else. The apartment is completely silent. His eyes drift around the rest of the house. The cat is nowhere to be seen. Considering the cat hasn't left the living room or the kitchen since Ryuu found it, its absence unnerves him. He looks back at the intruder, his jaw setting in anger. If the man hurt the cat, Ryuu will make sure he makes him pay.

"You..." the man says, and Ryuu is startled by how deep his voice is. He wasn't expecting such a pretty face to have a deeper voice than him. "You weren't supposed to be back until three..."

Ryuu's brain takes a few moments to process what the man says. "How did... How did you..." he trails off, realization hitting him like a bus. 

The cat he was sheltering is a shapeshifter.

The man's pale skin is littered with bruises that are consistent with the cat's injuries. He has the same grey hair and grey eyes, and the cat is nowhere to be found, which means there's no other explanation. 

He frowns deeply. His cat stole his boxers.

"I... I thought you were going to be all day," the man says slowly, putting his hands up defensively. "I would have... I would have stayed in my other form if I knew..."

Ryuu laughs incredulously. "Y-You think that's what I'm hung up on? The fact that you could have continued to just act like... like a pet?!" he cries, and the man flinches a little. Ryuu pinches the bridge of his nose. "So you're a shifter. Fine. That's fine."

"Fine?" the man echoes, his eyebrows raised in surprise. "But... I'm a feline shifter..."

"I said it's fine," Ryuu says sternly, and the man shrinks back. Ryuu hates the way his heart aches at the sight. "My problem... My problem is that..." 

He trails off. He isn't quite sure what his problem is. He doesn't want to admit that the thing bothering him the most at the moment is the fact that the man stole his boxers. 

"Your... Your name is Ryuunosuke?" the man asks, and Ryuu is snapped back to the conversation. "I saw it on some of your mail..."

He nods slowly. "I go by Ryuu."

"I'm Gaku," he admits. "I'm... I'm sorry for breaking into your house."

Ryuu stares at the scars that litter Gaku's skin. Cat shifters truly live horrible lives. Not that he's met more than a handful of them in his lifetime. He opens his mouth to ask him a question, but his phone begins to ring, buzzing on the counter, and both of their heads whip around to stare at it. Ryuu moves over, grabbing it and answering it as soon as he sees it's Yuki calling.

"Ryuu-kun? Where are you?" Yuki immediately asks, and Ryuu can hear the worry in his voice. "You're never late for work..."

Ryuu glances at the clock on his oven and curses under his breath. He was supposed to be at work ten minutes ago. "Shit, Yuki, I'm sorry. I forgot my phone at home," he apologizes, his golden eyes moving back to Gaku, who watches him without even trying to hide his horror. "I'll be there as soon as I can."

"Okay, that's fine. You just had me worried sick," he whines. "It's a good thing Momo stayed the night last night. Otherwise I would have been late, too."

Ryuu scoffs. "Well, thank God for Momo," he says, and he clears his throat. "I'll be there soon. Sorry again."

He hangs up, and he pins Gaku down with a stare. Gaku's eyes somehow widen even more. "I..."

"I have work," Ryuu interrupts. "And before you ask, no, I'm not going to tell anyone about you."

Gaku frowns. "You're leaving?"

"I have to," he sighs. "So stay here. Since you're a shifter... I guess I don't have to worry about feeding you. Just... Stay here. We'll talk more when I get home this afternoon, okay?"

"Stay?" Gaku echoes. 

"Yes. Please stay."

He swallows thickly and nods, and Ryuu turns to leave. "You can borrow more clothes if you want. In fact, it’ll help you stay warm. I'll be home a little after three," he tells him, and when he hears Gaku mumble his agreement, he heads outside. He doesn't know how easy it will be to get through a whole day of work when he knows he has a cat shifter in his house. 

He can't even tell Yuki about Gaku. He's not entirely what he would say even if he hadn't told Gaku that he wasn't going to tell anyone. "Hey, Yuki? Y'know how I've always said no pets and no housemates? Well, get this: I now live with a cat shifter!" he says mockingly, his nose crinkled. He scoffs at himself. Yuki will never let him hear the end of it. Best to only tell him once he has the whole situation under control.

Ryuu hurries to work, and when he pushes open the door, he's slightly out of breath. Yuki immediately pokes his head out from behind a bookshelf, relief written clearly on his face. Ryuu smiles apologetically, moving to help him with the books he's carrying. 

"You really did scare me," Yuki tells him sternly. It's moments like these that remind Ryuu that Yuki is actually the older one between the two of them. "And then you weren't answering your phone... I was worried about you."

Ryuu smiles at him, patting him on the back. "I'm sorry. Everything's alright. I just overslept a little and then forgot my phone at home." _And gained a shifter housemate_ , he adds to himself.

"You do look really tired. The bags under your eyes are really pronounced. Do you want me to text Momo to grab us some coffee?" Yuki asks, and as much as Ryuu doesn't want to be a burden, the thought of coffee makes his brain do backflips in excitement. 

He nods quickly. "Please. I'll pay for both of us, if you get one, too."

Yuki waves him off with a chuckle. "It's no problem. Now, we've got lots of books in from a shipment, so let's work hard."

The rest of the day passes by much quicker than Ryuu had expected. Thanks to the heavy workload and more customers than normal, Ryuu hardly notices when three o'clock comes around. In fact, he's so caught up in taking inventory that Yuki has to come over and tap on his shoulder to get his attention.

"Ryuu-kun, I know you were a little late today," Yuki coos, and Ryuu jumps a little in surprise, “but that doesn't mean you have to stay late, too. It's already 3:30."

Ryuu's eyes widen in dread. He had told Gaku he'd be home just after three. "Shit. Okay. I'll see you tomorrow," he says hastily, hurrying to put his inventory sheet back on the cashier counter. He moves to the door, and he's just pushing it open when Yuki clears his throat.

"Ryuu-kun~" he purrs, and Ryuu glances back at him. Yuki wears a cat-like smirk. Ryuu has a feeling he's up to no good.

"Yes?" he asks as innocently as he can manage.

Yuki saunters up to him, his light eyes piercing Ryuu. He feels pinned under Yuki's knowing look. "You never leave work this fast. It's almost as if... you're late for something... or someone."

Ryuu does his best to keep his expression from giving him away. He promised Gaku he wouldn't tell anyone about him. "I just... uh... there's a new show on soon that I really want to see, and I left in such a rush this morning that I forgot to program it to record. I don't want to miss it," he lies. He can tell Yuki doesn't buy it, but he backs out the door before he can be questioned any further. "I'll text you later! See you!"

He practically runs the entire way home. His chest heaves as he reaches his front door. He knows if anyone saw him on his way home he probably looked like a mess, but he hardly cares. He unlocks the door and looks around as he walks inside. 

His heart drops when he's met with an empty house. The chair blocking the dog door has been moved. There's a note on the kitchen counter. Ryuu walks to it slowly, a sinking feeling in his chest. Gaku is gone.

The note is written in a delicate handwriting. 

_Ryuu,_

_Thank you for sheltering me last night. I can't thank you enough for giving me food and water and offering me a place of sanctuary. I don't deserve your kindness. I have to go. With me around, your life will be endangered._

_Maybe someday we'll meet again under better circumstances. You seem like the kind of guy I'd like to get to know better._

_Gaku_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> twitter || twitter.com/tsvnashii


	3. iii

"Yuki," Ryuu croaks. He can't stop rereading Gaku's note. The idiot will get himself killed. "Please come quick. I need your help."

He knows he sounds pathetic. He feels pathetic. To feel so worried about a man he doesn't know at all... Well, it doesn't surprise him all that much. He saw the bruises on Gaku's skin. He knows that cat shifters are looked down on. He doesn't want Gaku to die.

"Okay," comes Yuki's voice from the phone at his ear. He hears a car door shut in the background. "Stay on the phone with me. Can you tell me what's wrong?"

Ryuu swallows, pacing. He doesn't know what to do. He knows he has to go looking for him, but he has no idea where to even start. "Well... yesterday after work... I came home and there was a cat in my house."

"A cat?" Yuki echoes with a scoff. 

"Yeah. He was hurt really bad. Like, on the edge of death, so I blocked the dog door so he couldn't get out."

"Okay..."

Ryuu takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. "And... yesterday when I went back to my house to grab my phone, I found out he's a shifter."

The silence that lingers is stifling. It makes Ryuu's anxiety spike. Finally, Yuki sighs. "You... You met a cat shifter?"

"Yeah... and... and he's obviously in some deep shit, so I told him to stay put while I was at work... and... and..." He lets out a shaky breath. "I came home to a letter. He's gone."

"He's gone?" Yuki says, and Ryuu can hear Yuki's nerves starting to show in his voice. Or maybe he's just projecting.

Ryuu nods. "Yes. So hurry. I need you to help me find him before he gets himself killed. He's not well enough to be on his own."

Yuki sighs softly. "You get attached quickly," he hums. "You just met this guy this morning, and you're this panicked about him?"

"You don't understand, Yuki. Cat shifters never live good lives. I... I want to protect him," he argues.

He laughs a little. "You've always been like that. Such a big brother. Fine. I'm almost to your house. We can look through the town and ask around. Maybe we can even recruit Momo. Okay?"

Ryuu agrees and hangs up, pacing around a bit more. He has no idea where Gaku could have gone. He has no idea where he came from, for that matter. Hopefully he didn't leave hours ago. Hopefully he's still near the town. In a small town, they have a better chance of finding him.

Yuki wasn't lying about being close. He opens the door and Ryuu looks up, immediately feeling calmer just by being in Yuki's presence. Yuki walks to the counter, picking up Gaku's note and reading it carefully. He frowns as he sets it down and looks to Ryuu. "Okay. My guess is that he's on the run from something or someone. Which means that he's hiding. It won't be easy to find him because he doesn't want to be found. We... We might not find him, Ryuu-kun. Have you accepted that possibility?"

As much as his heart aches admitting it, he nods mutely. 

Yuki nods once, and he grabs Ryuu's hand. His hand is soft. "Come on. We need to start before it gets dark. What does he look like?"

"He's grey with a marbled pattern. He's a little bit bigger than a normal house cat, I think. I don't really know for sure, though," Ryuu admits.

They walk outside, and Yuki looks around. Ryuu's house is isolated; the nearest cover for someone trying to hide is the forest behind his house. Ryuu can still hear shouting coming from it. 

"What is that?" Yuki asks, his eyebrows furrowing. 

"I don't know. There were a lot of voices coming from the woods yesterday, too," he tells him. Yuki huffs. 

"Well, I would say we should look in the forest, but there's no way we'd ever find a cat in there. It'd be like a needle in a haystack. We should go into town and see if anyone's seen him."

Ryuu raises an eyebrow. "You don't want to even try to look in the forest? That's where he's most likely to have gone," he points out. 

Yuki hums. "Okay... We can look for a little bit. I guess it's easier to look in town when it gets darker than in the forest. Let's go."

Yuki leads the way behind his house, and Ryuu looks around carefully. Any sign of Gaku is helpful. They just need a lead. When they come to the edge of the treeline, Yuki stops, and Ryuu almost runs into him. He frowns, peering around him to try and figure out why he's stopped.

"Those voices... People aren't usually in these woods, right?" Yuki asks, and Ryuu nods. 

"Occasionally kids come to play in them... But those voices sound angry. I've never heard anything like them before," he says. 

"If we run into whoever it is, we shouldn't mention what we're looking for," Yuki says seriously, starting to walk again. The sound of leaves and sticks crunching under his feet fills the space around them.

Ryuu moves to walk next to him, his eyes scanning the underbrush for Gaku's grey pelt. "Why shouldn't we ask them? They might have seen him."

Yuki glances over at him. "Or they might be the ones chasing him."

Ryuu's eyes widen. The more he thinks about it, the more sense it makes. He had heard the yelling coming from the forest starting last night, and it was quite the coincidence that Gaku had come into his house seeking shelter on the same night. Yuki was right. They were probably the ones who had hurt Gaku.

The thought makes him see red. 

"I don't see him anywhere," Yuki says with a heavy sigh. 

Ryuu looks at him with wide eyes. "You can't already be ready to call it quits," he says, the desperation in his voice clear. "We've barely looked."

"I'm not saying anything, Ryuu-kun. Calm down. We definitely won't find him if you're too anxious to think straight. Stay calm for Gaku's sake."

He nods, taking in a deep breath and letting it out slowly. He tries his best to recenter himself. It's difficult with how much his heart races, but he does his best. "Sorry," he mutters.

Yuki pulls out his phone. "Do you want me to tell Momo we're looking for your pet? I'm assuming you don't want anyone knowing that he's a shifter?"

"Yeah. That's a good idea," he agrees.

He nods and puts the phone to his ear, and Ryuu suspicions are confirmed when he hears Yuki's tone shift to the gentle nature he only speaks to Momo with. "Hi, Momo. I know, I should have texted. Please forgive me," he says, and Ryuu stops looking to watch him. "Listen, could you be a dear and come meet Ryuu-kun and me out in the woods behind his house? He's lost his cat, and we'd like some help looking for him." After a pause, he smiles and nods. "Thank you, darling. You're wonderful. I'll see you soon. Bye-bye."

When he hangs up, Ryuu nudges him playfully. "How come you're never that nice to me?"

Yuki rolls his eyes. "Because we don't have sex, Ryuu-kun. I'm going to head back to meet him. You keep looking here." He waits for Ryuu to nod before turning around and walking the way they came, leaving Ryuu alone in the almost silent forest.

He swallows hard, pushing onward. He wants to call out for Gaku, but Yuki's right. If Gaku is truly on the run, he can't put him in even more danger. He'll just have to find him by sight alone. 

The forest is thick, but thankfully, Ryuu is well acquainted with it. He navigates the trees expertly, and before he realizes it, he's stumbling into a clearing. His eyes widen when he sees about ten men dressed in combat gear milling around a makeshift camp. Their white tents are filled with equipment. Ryuu's heart sinks. All of this trouble to find Gaku?

He steps backward, ready to leave as none of them have noticed him, but he trips on a log and falls onto his ass. The sudden noise causes the people closest to him to look up, and before he can open his mouth, he's met with ten guns pointed at him. The sight makes him want to cry.

"NAME."

Ryuu's eyes widen as two of the agents approach him, their guns unwavering. "Ts-Tsunashi Ryuunosuke," he croaks out.

"STATE YOUR BUSINESS."

"I was just walking through the forest," he says slowly. The agents are wearing masks. He doesn't know where to look. "I got lost, and I heard voices. I didn't... I'm sorry..."

One of the agents approaches him and grabs him by the arm so roughly that he has to bite down on his tongue to keep from crying out. Whatever these agents are, they're not human. They yank Ryuu to his feet and look between each other.

"WE WILL ESCORT YOU. DO NOT RETURN."

Ryuu nods once, and he lets the person clutching his arms spin him around. They push him forward, and he stumbles a bit. They walk with him in silence for a few minutes. Ryuu wonders how they know the forest so well. They haven't been there long. 

When they come to the edge of the forest, Ryuu sees Yuki and Momo, and his blood runs cold. He can't let them expose the lie he told the agents. The gun in the person's hand is all too present. Yuki looks up, and his eyes meet Ryuu's. He stares in horror. Ryuu tries to send him the most reassuring look he can without moving his head or speaking. It's quite difficult.

"Th-Thank you, sir," he says, and he turns to look at the agent. He still can't see under their helmet. "I probably would have died in those woods without your help. I promise I won't be coming back any time soon."

He shoots him a weak smile despite how much his legs feel like jelly, and in lieu of an answer, the agent simply turns around and walks right back into the forest. As soon as he's sure he's gone, Ryuu crumples to his knees, letting out a shaky breath.

Yuki and Momo are by his side in an instant.

"Ryuu-kun! Are you okay? What happened?" Yuki says frantically. He looks for any sign of harm. 

Ryuu stares up at the sky for a moment before looking back to his friends. "I'm fine. That was scary..."

"What happened?" Momo asks. It's weird for Ryuu to see him so serious. "That gun of theirs looked like bad news."

"I came across their camp. There's at least ten of them... and they are bad news. All I did was accidentally stumble into the part of the forest where they've set up, and they all immediately pointed their guns at me. It was the scariest thing I've ever seen... I really thought they were going to kill me..." he says.

Yuki helps him to his feet and pats him on the back. "Okay. Let's not look in the forest any longer. It's too dangerous with those guys around. Let's head into town, yeah?"

Ryuu nods mutely, glancing over at Momo. "Thank you for coming, Momo-san. It's nice to see you."

"It's always good to see you, Ryuu," Momo says with a smile. "I'm sorry about your cat. We'll find him, though!"

Momo's smile puts Ryuu's heart at ease a little. Maybe they will find Gaku.

"Let's get going," Yuki says, pulling back from Ryuu. "There's only about an hour left until sundown."

The three of them head into town, splitting up once they arrive at the town center. As Ryuu walks, he can't seem to shake the sight of the agents out of his head. If they're really after Gaku, then it makes finding him all the more imperative. The thought of those monsters getting their hands on Gaku makes him sick. 

He's so busy looking and thinking about the severity of Gaku's situation that he doesn't see a person standing in his way. He bumps into the shorter man and knocks him down, and his eyes widen. Sometimes he forgets his own strength.

"I'm so sorry!" he cries, leaning down and offering a hand out to the man. He blinks when he recognizes who it is.

Tenn shoots him a look and pushes himself to his feet, ignoring Ryuu's hand. He brushes himself off with a huff. "You're a damn meathead, you know that?" he drawls. 

"Sorry, Tenn..." he mumbles. "I wasn't looking."

"I get that you're a giant, but do try to remember the rest of us normal people when you're storming about," Tenn huffs. "What are you in such a rush for anyways? You look like you're about to cry."

Ryuu rubs the back of his neck sheepishly. "I just lost my cat. You haven't seen him around anywhere, have you? He's a grey cat with marble markings."

Tenn raises an eyebrow. "I didn't know you had a cat. And no, I haven't. I'll keep an eye out for him."

Ryuu smiles. Tenn's a good kid. "Thanks. And I actually just got him, but he's, uh... he's run away from home."

"That's rough," he says. "Well, pets usually come home on their own when they can't find food. Have you checked your house since you started looking?"

He shakes his head slowly. "They... They come back?"

"Well, usually it's with pets that are a bit more acquainted with their owners, but yeah. They can find their way home easily because of their sense of smell, and they know to associate their homes with food and shelter. My guess is that your cat is already back home waiting for you. He might have just left your house to go explore or something," Tenn says. He smiles, a rare sight. "I'm sure you'll find him. And when you do, shoot me a text."

Ryuu nods. "Okay. Thank you, Tenn. I... I hope you're right."

He turns and starts running back to his house. Sure, Gaku isn't a normal cat. And sure, he left a note saying he wouldn't be back. But... If he ran into the government agents, he might have realized that Ryuu's home is the safest place for him and come home. 

The thought fills Ryuu with hope.

He's home in record time, and he throws the door open. Just like two days ago when he came home from work, the first thing he sees is someone laying on his couch. Ryuu feels frozen to the spot at the sight of the silver-haired shifter. 

Gaku has a bag of ice pressed to his eye, and Ryuu can see multiple scratches and new bruises littering his pale skin. He's wearing more than just Ryuu's underwear now. He looks like he's been through hell. 

At the sound of the door opening, Gaku lifts the ice pack from his face, and Ryuu sees the beginnings of a nasty black eye forming, but he couldn't care less. All that matters to him is that Gaku is home. 

He rushes forward, his eyes welling with tears. He sinks to his knees next to the couch, starting to cry as all of the adrenaline finally leaves his body. Gaku is here. Gaku is safe.

"R-Ryuu?" Gaku says softly, and Ryuu looks up to see him sitting up and staring at Ryuu with a worried expression. "Wh-Why are you crying?"

Ryuu laughs weakly, wiping at his eyes. "I just... I've been looking for you for over an hour. I thought... I thought you were gone..."

Gaku stares at him with wide eyes. "You were sad that I left?" he asks.

"Of course I was!" Ryuu cries, and Gaku flinches back a little. "I thought for sure you'd be captured... or hurt. I guess I wasn't wrong to worry about the latter."

Gaku looks away from him, the lightest blush dusting his cheeks. "I... I saw the men in the forest. I think... I think it's safest to stay here... If that's okay with you."

Ryuu pushes himself up so that he's sitting next to Gaku on the couch. "Please. I ran into them, too. They're terrifying. They're looking for you, aren't they?" he asks, and Gaku nods slowly.

"Yeah. I didn't want to get you caught up in all this. I really only planned on staying here for a day at most, but... I think it's safest to hide here."

He smiles softly. "You're welcome to stay here as long as you need to. But Gaku..." he says, and he's met with silver eyes boring into him. He levels him with an irritated look. "If you ever leave without talking to me first again..." 

Gaku puts his hands up defensively. "Okay. I won't. I promise."

Ryuu pulls out his phone and shoots Yuki a text, and he sighs heavily before looking back at Gaku. "Let's get you cleaned up. You look like you've been through hell."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> twitter || twitter.com/tsvnashii

**Author's Note:**

> twitter || twitter.com/tsvnashii


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